Chapter 13
“You’re saying that quite casually, aren’t you?”
“I hold a decent position within the Grand Duke’s household. I can get you past the front gate at least.”
Wow, that’s a relief.
‘I hope he’s telling the truth.’
I had only thought as far as getting to the Grand Duke’s estate, not how to get inside or meet him. I simply hadn’t had time to make a proper plan.
I’d assumed that if I managed to arrive, somehow things would work out—and now it really seemed like they might.
He said he could get us inside!
“Then, you two must have met His Grace the Grand Duke before. What kind of person is he?”
At my question, Poe looked over at Arno.
Arno rolled his red eyes and answered, slightly hesitating.
“Um, well… Basically, he’s a good person. He’s kind-hearted.”
‘Basically’ good? That made me wonder—maybe he’s strict with subordinates?
Then again, something else worried me.
“Does His Grace travel a lot by any chance? He’s not away from the mansion right now, is he?”
According to the original fairy tale, the prince met Larisa while traveling near the Blique estate three years later. It was pure coincidence that he even visited our estate.
I was a little anxious that he might usually travel a lot and wasn’t at the mansion right now.
Thankfully, Arno shook his head.
“He’s not one to enjoy traveling, and it’s already been years since he last did. He should be at the mansion. But you’re just heading over without any notice or appointment?”
“I have my reasons. You said he’s kind, right? Then he’ll meet with us.”
As long as they met, he’d fall for Larisa. Game over. Happy ending.
I gave him a bright smile.
Arno chuckled again.
What’s so funny?
‘Still, it’s interesting.’
A person who doesn’t enjoy traveling? Then what could’ve happened three years later to make him go on a trip all of a sudden?
I stared out the window, lost in thought.
The road to the Grand Duke’s estate was beautiful.
The train passed through a long forest.
‘All of that is the Grand Duke’s private hunting grounds. No one is allowed to enter without permission.’
That’s what Poe said before adding more details.
Apparently, no one even dared to request permission, so it was virtually untouched.
We didn’t talk much after that.
Arno hadn’t spoken a word since we entered the forest.
So I spent time looking out the window or checking if Larisa was okay now and then.
Thankfully, Arno’s promise to get us inside wasn’t empty.
When we arrived at Diéf Station, a carriage bearing the Grand Duke’s crest was already waiting for us.
A red and white shield, two swords behind it, and thorny vines wrapping around it.
It was exactly like the crest I’d seen in the fairy tale book.
‘We’re on the right path!’
I was secretly thrilled.
As expected of the Grand Duke’s family, even their crest was elegant and refined.
For comparison, the Blique family crest is just a simple crossing of wheat and barley stalks.
Without saying much, Arno and Poe helped us into the Grand Duke’s carriage.
‘Wow, even the carriage is top tier.’
The cushions were soft and luxurious—something I’d never even seen before—and the two men didn’t hesitate at all to sit down with their dirt-covered clothes.
That’s when I started to feel something was off.
Not long after, the Grand Duke’s estate came into view in the distance, and it was practically a fortress compared to the Blique family mansion.
Even as we passed through the grand gates, no one stopped or questioned us.
The carriage didn’t slow down and passed through several more gates.
‘Are these guys more important than I thought?’
By the time I had that thought, we had already reached the innermost part of the estate, right in front of a large building.
Arno spoke.
“We’re here. Welcome to the Laurent Grand Duchy estate.”
Huh? Welcome?
Before I could ask anything, he got out of the carriage.
Poe escorted us out next.
‘Ouch…’
I winced as I stepped down, pain shooting through my leg.
‘I still haven’t healed properly… I need to be careful.’
Thankfully, Poe held my hand and helped me down safely.
After checking that Larisa and I had both disembarked, Arno strode ahead toward the building.
But then I saw something surprising—people waiting at the entrance bowed deeply to Arno.
He accepted their greetings with only a slight nod, as if it were nothing.
‘W-wait… don’t tell me…’
Could Arno be the Grand Duke…?
I slapped a hand over my mouth.
I suddenly remembered what I’d said on the train—loudly proclaiming that Larisa would become the Grand Duke’s bride…
Was that why Arno laughed back then?
My face burned with embarrassment.
‘I even suspected they were using fake names…’
But when they talked about the Grand Duke, it really sounded like they meant someone else.
My head was spinning in confusion.
Then Poe spoke to us.
“Please, come inside.”
Well, we had come this far. Might as well go in…
With Poe leading the way, I tightly held Larisa’s hand and climbed the steps to the estate’s entrance.
At the top, a middle-aged man in a black suit stood waiting for us.
“Lady Marcia, Lady Larisa. Welcome to the Laurent Grand Duchy estate. You’re here to see His Grace, yes? I’ll escort you to the drawing room.”
Arno had already disappeared somewhere inside the building.
I turned wide-eyed toward Poe.
“…Is Arno the Grand Duke?”
Poe bit his lip, his shoulders trembling.
“Ahem. Pardon me. But to answer—no, he is not.”
“He’s not? Then… could it be you?”
“…You’ll find out soon enough. Please follow the steward.”
He stepped aside with a weird expression, trying hard not to laugh, and the steward gave us a solemn gesture.
“This way, please.”
He led us toward a staircase going up.
Apparently, the drawing room was on the second floor. Marble statues lined both sides of the red-carpeted steps, exuding grandeur.
‘As expected, the Grand Duke’s household is on a whole different level of wealth.’
As I turned to follow the steward, I suddenly felt something missing.
I’d let go of Larisa’s hand while being distracted by the surroundings.
When I looked back, she was standing still, frozen in place.
“What’s wrong?”
I quickly rushed over. Larisa’s face had gone pale, and she was trembling.
She clutched her skirt tightly with white knuckles, eyes fixed in one direction.
I followed her gaze and saw stairs leading down—and someone climbing them.
A blond man.
‘Oh no…’
Even I stiffened for a moment.
Could it be Vilein?
Just then, I heard Larisa’s inner voice:
—No. Please, no. I’m scared. Don’t hit me. Please stop… It hurts… it hurts…
Her mental cry stabbed through my head.
Just the sight of a man who resembled Vilein triggered the memories of the basement.
Her fear was fragmented, chaotic.
I quickly crouched in front of her and blocked her line of sight with my face.
“No, Larisa. We’re not going that way. Look at me.”
Her trembling eyes finally met mine.
Maybe it was a small blessing that I never went into the basement myself.
At least Larisa didn’t associate my face with her abuser.
“Look, Larisa. I’m right here. I’ll be with you. We’re not going downstairs—we’re going up. There’s someone we need to meet. Not just you—we need to meet them.”
There are no whips there. No one will hit you.
I only said those things silently in my mind. Saying it out loud might scare her even more.
“Come on, let’s go. Take my hand. I’ll hold on tight.”
It took a while, but Larisa finally grabbed my hand and started walking with me.
The steward waited quietly and patiently.
Thankfully, the drawing room had a large window that let in plenty of light.
Though it was late, the evening sun cast golden rays across the room.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“Oh look, the sunlight is so warm here. Shall we sit over there?”
I spoke to Larisa like I was coaxing a two-year-old niece.
“His Grace asked that you wait a moment. May I bring you something to drink?”
The steward waited until Larisa was seated before politely asking me.
When I said yes, warm tea and sweet pastries were promptly brought in.
‘Now that I think about it… how am I going to introduce her?’
I know we escaped in a rush, but showing up like this with no plan really wasn’t great.
‘Still, they’re destined to fall in love at first sight three years from now. So maybe a first impression will be enough?’
Even if not, Larisa is a very pretty girl. If she just gives a small smile, anyone would find her charming.
Thinking that, I turned to look at Larisa sitting beside me.
She still looked anxious, hunched over with her head down, trembling.
I sighed lightly, picked up one of the pastries from the plate, and took an exaggerated bite.
“Mm! This is delicious! It melts in your mouth! Larisa, try some. Here.”
I placed one in her hand.
Larisa looked back and forth between me and the pastry with wide eyes, then cautiously took a small bite.
After a while, she stopped trembling.
Clutching the pastry with both hands, she watched me carefully and slowly began nibbling away.
